Yi Fei accompanied Lin Yao's family to their home, while the others remained in the car parked in the community's temporary parking space.
The government compound was not strictly managed. This place, which could no longer be considered a high-end residential area, had been inhabited by many outsiders, and the residents had become a mixed bunch. Naturally, the environment was no longer as orderly as it would be if it were a place where only employees of the same unit lived. After greeting the gatekeeper, the Toyota van drove into the compound without notifying Duan Qing. The family went straight to Building No. 7, which was locked by Vice Mayor Duan.
Luo Jimin stood in front of the door and rang the bell. Lin Yao and his mother Lin Hongmei looked at the somewhat old-fashioned hallway facilities behind them. They thought that this famous deputy mayor was still living in an old building. It seemed that Duan Qing was doing a good job in this regard. Even if it was just an act, he could still tolerate the not-so-comfortable living environment.
"You must be Mr. Luo and his family from Minhong, right? Please come in, please come in." A warm voice rang out, the tone very gentle. Lin Yao peeked in and saw that it was the elderly Duan Hanyuan.
"You must be Mayor Duan's father? Hello, I am Luo Jimin. This is my wife Lin Hongmei, my son Lin Yao, and my friend Yi Fei. We apologize for disturbing you." Luo Jimin bowed his head to show respect. While introducing himself, he asked Lin Yao to bring out some fruit. The gift was simple, just a few pounds of various fruits bought from the nearby market, simply packed in plastic bags, without any fancy fruit baskets.
"You're here, so why bring anything?" Duan Hanyuan, like an ordinary elderly person, said politely as he took the fruit from Lin Yao and placed it by the door, saying that the maid would take care of it later.
"Come in, come in, no need to change your shoes, it's too much trouble." The old man continued to warmly welcome them, giving them the courtesy of not having to change their shoes, not minding at all that their clean white floor would be dirtied. This kind of situation often happens when ordinary families receive distinguished guests.
Not everyone can receive such courtesy from Duan Hanyuan. The former governor of Jiangnan Province, a powerful regional official, wouldn't be as long-winded as an ordinary elderly person in a common family. He simply admired and recognized the Minhong company, which is why he acted so unpretentious and played the role of an elderly host with the manner of an ordinary person.
Lin Yao kept his neck hunched, avoiding eye contact with Duan Hanyuan. He didn't want to be recognized and have to explain himself again.
Upon hearing that Luo Jimin's family had arrived, Duan Qing came out of his study to greet them. After seeing Duan Qing, Yi Fei took his leave. He would not disturb them again once he was certain of their identities. This was also a system required by the First Elder, Yi Potian. Lin Yao's identity was extremely important, and the Yi family could not afford to lose any more.
"Ji Min's here! Let me pour you some tea. Let me show you the special Longjing tea that my father has always treasured. To be honest, I'm only able to drink this good tea because of you guys. My father has always been stingy." Duan Qing spoke casually, as if he were talking to an old friend.
"This guy, he's such a grown man, yet he talks like a child." Duan Hanyuan chuckled and scolded, then turned to Luo Jimin, "It's still early for dinner, who among you likes to play chess? Let's play a game."
Luo Jimin and his wife Lin Hongmei looked at each other, thinking that this was a difficult situation for their family. They had played chess when they were young, but it had been many years since they had engaged in such an elegant activity.
In the past, they worked hard outside to earn money for their son's health, and when they came home, they only had other entertainment activities to keep him from using his brain too much, as this was not good for his health. Lin Yao had wanted to be a doctor since he was a child, and his parents could not stop him from memorizing the "Medical Canon" and "Pharmacopoeia." They could only try their best to prevent him from using his brain for other things, so mentally taxing activities such as chess and cards were naturally abandoned.
At this moment, Master Duan suggested playing chess, but there was no one in his family who could accept the challenge!
The perceptive Duan Hanyuan noticed the family's expressions and immediately said, "Let's stop playing. I forgot the rule of only three games a day. We've used up our quota for today. Let's talk next time. Let's chat."
Lin Yao smiled and took a serious look at the thoughtful old man for the first time, wondering what he would look like after recovering his health. He hadn't paid much attention to the old man's appearance last time. The information he obtained from Ge Yong indicated that this old man was an exceptionally capable person, not only with outstanding political achievements but also with an excellent reputation in all aspects.
Her gray hair was neatly trimmed, about half an inch long, making the old woman look exceptionally energetic. Her complexion was healthy, and she seemed to have good spirits. Even her gradually graying eyebrows were well-groomed, unlike some elderly people who don't trim their eyebrows and let some grow long and irregularly. Everything showed that this old woman paid great attention to her personal appearance and was a very serious and meticulous person.
Especially those eyes, they are exceptionally bright, and their restrained sharpness makes them very charming. Just looking at them makes you feel a sense of majesty without even being angry. "Majestic without being angry" is a phrase specifically used to describe this kind of gaze.
Wait, eyes?
Lin Yao suddenly realized that he had noticed the other person's eyes. He had been avoiding eye contact with the other person, but he had accidentally looked into their eyes.
In particular, the expression in those eyes had changed; it had transformed from a dignified look into a gentle smile, with a hint of playfulness.
Oh no! We've been recognized.
Lin Yao immediately drew a conclusion. He was very confident in his judgment and didn't need to consider why he came to this conclusion. Moreover, the smile on the old man's face and his staring intently at him were the best proof.
Lin Yao didn't actually laugh out loud; he forced a smile, his expression somewhat stiff.
What a failure! I couldn't even control my impulse. There was no need to visit the old man. They say the eyes are the windows to the soul. When Duan Hanyuan was being treated at West China Hospital, the windows between them were so close, only thirty centimeters apart. Lin Yao didn't think that such a close window wouldn't leave a deep impression on the old man, since he was perfectly lucid at the time.
"Are you Lin Yao? May I call you Xiao Lin?" Duan Hanyuan suddenly spoke in a more amiable voice, his tone filled with respect.
"Hello, Grandpa Duan, I'm Lin Yao. You can call me whatever you like." Lin Yao replied immediately. He was the youngest here, and even with his status as a divine doctor, he couldn't act arrogantly. His parents were also there, so he might as well call the old man "Grandpa." It wouldn't hurt him, and besides, he was the maternal grandfather of the pink girl.
"Good, good, good." Duan Hanyuan suddenly burst into laughter, his laughter filled with pride. "Xiao Lin called me grandpa. What an honor!"
Luo Jimin and Lin Hongmei, who were standing nearby looking completely bewildered, exchanged a glance, both seeing the confusion in each other's eyes.
"When did Yao'er get to know Mayor Duan's father?"
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Chapter 225 Identity Exposed
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Lin Yao grinned foolishly. At this moment, he didn't know what expression to make, nor how to speak, so he simply pretended to be stupid, something he was good at.
Duan Hanyuan laughed heartily, his laughter loud and cheerful, lasting for a full twenty seconds. It startled Duan Qing, who was in the kitchen preparing to make tea. He didn't know why his father was laughing so loudly, as this was quite different from his usual style. He abandoned the kettle used for boiling water for tea and rushed back to the living room with a surprised expression.
Duan Qing, completely bewildered, entered the living room and saw Luo Jimin and his wife, both looking puzzled, and Lin Yao, who seemed rather foolish. He couldn't discern anything amiss, except for his father, who was laughing as if he had lost his mind.
"Dad, what's wrong?" Duan Qing's tone was somewhat worried. Fortunately, he suddenly realized that Lin Yao, who had the identity of an angel, was beside him, and he felt relieved. He secretly glanced at Lin Yao, trying to see something from Lin Yao's face.
Is my father alright? Could he have suddenly fallen ill?
Duan Qing still had questions, because Lin Yao was also acting like he was having a seizure, as if he had gone crazy.
Having finally managed to stop laughing, Duan Hanyuan stood up, supporting himself on the fabric sofa. He slowly jumped over Luo Jimin, who was closest to him, and took Lin Yao's hand.
Han Yuan found this stretch of road rather tiring; his sustained laughter had taken a toll on his energy. "Duan Qing, you've fallen behind in your studies. Get back into drawing practice these next few days, and also read 'The Book of Characters' several times."
Painting? A biography? What is the father saying?
Duan Qing was even more puzzled. He knew that his father had strictly required him to learn to paint since he was a child, and that he was specifically assigned to paint portraits. He knew the reason was to cultivate his ability to read people and improve his ability to recognize people through painting.
The same applies to "The Book of Characters". My father even required me to memorize passages from it, so that I could figure out a person's five elements characteristics through their spirit, energy and other external manifestations. This was so that I could discern a person's true nature and future prospects, so that I could make friends with ambitious and promising people and stay away from and guard against petty people.